The present disclosure relates generally to testing operations. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to techniques for testing fluids, such as lubricants used in engines.
Lubricants may be used in machinery to prevent friction between moving parts, such as pistons and cylinders of an engine. In some cases, deposits may form in the lubricants that may hinder the movement of the parts and, therefore, impact the performance of the engine. Lubricants may be configured to reduce the likelihood of deposits and/or affect the performance of the engine.
Lubricants may include a mix of oils and other additives. The composition of the lubricant may be selected to define properties which can be used to enhance performance of the machinery. For example, various engines may specify the use of a certain viscosity of lubricant under certain conditions, such as outdoor temperature. In another example, the composition of the lubricant (and/or its additives) may be selected to control the engine's tendency to oxidize and form deposits.
Designed experiments may be performed to compare lubricants having various compositions. The experiments may involve performing tests of various lubricants to determine how each lubricant will perform in an engine. The experiments may be performed using apparatuses that simulate the engine and provide controlled conditions for testing. Examples of tests are provided in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,313,824, 5,287,731, 7,597,016, 6,571,611, 6,566,142 and 5,492,005.
In some cases, experiments may be conducted to determine properties of different lubricants which may affect the performance of the machinery. For example, tests may be performed to determine oxidation of lubricants. Examples of oxidation tests include TFOUT (Thin-Film Oxygen Uptake Test), PDSC (Pressurized Differential Scanning calorimetry), (CVIT) Ciba Viscosity Increase Test, HOOT (Hot Oil Oxidation Test), FOAT (Ford Oil Aging Test), and Oxidator (Oronite Oxidation) test. Tests may also be performed to detect deposit formation. Examples of deposit tests include inclined plane, panel coker, hot tube, sliding ring, and micro-oxidation. Facilities used in performing the various tests may be configured to simulate environments in which the lubricants are used.